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Last Updated on 01 Mar 2017

Author: Paschalis Paschidis

CAPInv. 698: threskeia Dios Hypsistou (?)

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Macedonia
ii. Region Pieria
iii. Site Dion

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) θρησκεία Διὸς Ὑψίστου (?) (SEG 53: 596, unpublished)
ii. Full name (transliterated) threskeia Dios Hypsistou (?)

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 252 AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Theophoric:Zeus Hypsistos
iii. Descriptive terms θρησκεία, threskeia (?)
Note threskeia : SEG 53: 596, unpublished.

On θρησκεία, threskeia, and related terms, see Foschia 2004. Although the term θρησκευτής, threskeutes, used for members of associations seems to be a Macedonian peculiarity, it remains uncertain whether the term θρησκεία,threskeia, refers here to a religious association (the only other example being the association of the Asklepiastai in Thessalonike, CAPInv. 724) or simply to the cult of the god and its ceremonies.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) SEG 53: 596, 1-2, unpublished (AD 251/2, shortly before ca. March)
Online Resources SEG 53: 596, 1
SEG 53: 596, 2
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Both unpublished Greek inscriptions are catalogues of members of the association (or simply devotees of the god).
SEG 53: 596, 1 is a list of persons selected by lot for the monthly banquets (δοχαί, dochai) in honour of the god.
SEG 53: 596, 2 refers to estates belonging to the god and then records another list of devotees.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble plaques
ii. Source(s) provenance Both inscriptions were found at the sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos at Dion (Pandermalis 2005).

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

i. Archaeological remains The temple of Zeus Hypsistos at Dion (on which see Pandermalis 2005) is not necessarily related to the association itself.

VII. ORGANIZATION

iv. Officials The priest mentioned in SEG 53: 596, 1 is most probably the priest of the cult and thus should not necessarily be viewed as a leader of the association.
v. Other staff SEG 53: 596, 1 (unpublished) is a list of persons selected by lot for the monthly banquets (δοχαί, dochai) in honour of the god.
Known practice of appointment Selected by lot
viii. Obligations Members of the association (?) were selected by lot as persons in charge of the monthly banquets (δοχαί, dochai) in honour of the god) (SEG 53: 596, 1, unpublished).

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty SEG 53: 596, 2 refers to estates belonging to the god (not necessarily to the association) and then records another list of devotees.

X. ACTIVITIES

ii. Meetings and events Monthly banquets (δοχαί, dochai) in honour of the god are attested (SEG 53: 596, 1, unpublished).

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction On the sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos at Dion, where a number of other dedications to the god were discovered (SEG 53: 597-600 and An.Ép. 2003: nos. 1579, 1580 and 1582b), see Pandermalis 2005.

XII. NOTES

iii. Bibliography Foschia, L. (2004), ‘Le nom du culte, θρησκεία, et ses dérivés à l’époque impériale’, in S. Follet (ed.), L’hellénisme d’époque romaine. Nouveaux documents, nouvelles approches (Ier s.a.C.-IIIe s. p.C.). Actes du colloque international à la mémoire de Louis Robert, Paris, 7-8 juillet 2000, Paris: 15-35.
Pandermalis, D. (2005), ‘Ζευς Ύψιστος και άλλα’, ΑΕΜΤh 17: 415-24.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Possible
Note Only the full publication of the material from the sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos may shed light on the nature of the ambivalent term θρησκεία, threskeia, –which may point either to an association or simply to the cult in general (see above, under IV.iii)– and thus to the nature of the catalogues SEG 53: 596.